


You Feel Like Home

by soundofkyu



Category: INFINITE (Band)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, there is some fluff too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:37:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21805660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soundofkyu/pseuds/soundofkyu
Summary: “And a part of me keeps holding onJust in case it hasn't goneI guess I still careDo you still care?”It’s been five years since Infinite disbanded and no one told Sunggyu that Woohyun would be here tonight.
Relationships: Kim Sunggyu/Nam Woohyun
Comments: 49
Kudos: 61





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As usual title and quote in the description are from Adele's "When We Were Young".

There was a time when Sunggyu would have insisted that Infinite would go out with a bang: seven brothers standing side by side with the fans’ screams ringing in their ears. He never anticipated the quiet neglect of missed opportunities, a space that spreads out between them until it is too large to bridge and the bitter taste of unspoken words lingering on his tongue. The people that remained in his life reassured him that it was not anything he had done. They made excuses for him: years of spaced enlistments, changing priorities, a ruthless industry. Sunggyu clings to each excuse and tries to bend them into narrative he can stomach. However, nothing can drown out the CEO’s words to him when he was appointed leader in the rundown practice room: “You have the leader’s charisma. You can get the kids to unite.” Sunggyu feels that he ultimately failed as a leader, Infinite was anything but united in the end, however the sharpest sting… that sting was personal. The deepest bruise caused by waking up with the right side of his bed cold and empty. His mornings devoid of crinkled eye smiles and glimpses of a bright snaggle tooth.

At first the members tried to catch up regularly, but there is a limit to how many times nostalgia can be poured into a soju glass. The polite declines of invitations eventually turn into a suffocating silence until Sunggyu stops texting altogether. Sunggyu tries to keep up with each of their careers. You know what they say: old habits die hard. He runs into them in broadcasting station halls or the occasional wedding of a mutual friend. He still sees Dongwoo about once a month and knows the other members do too, just never together. It was through him that Sunggyu first heard that Woohyun had all but moved to Japan about two years ago to focus on building his solo career in that lucrative market. There were whispers of a partner being involved but Woohyun has always been impeccable at keeping his personal life off SNS and Dongwoo knows better than to unstitch that wound. Sunggyu has no way of knowing without asking questions, which would only lead to raised eyebrows and pitiful expressions that turn Sunggyu’s stomach. He tries to push the curiosity to the back of his mind, convince himself that if Woohyun is happy he is too. Life continues and Sunggyu learns what it feels like to breathe without his members standing by his side. 

-

The beer in Sunggyu’s hand is getting warm, condensation dripping from the glass bottle to form a damp ring on the armrest of the recording studio couch. He pulls at the collar of his oversized hoodie, feeling suffocated in the warmth and increasingly frustrated. He opens SNS, mindlessly scrolling while trying to remember why he accepted the invitation to drinks at the Epik High studio when he hasn’t been in the mood for socialising in months, particularly not to celebrate the final day of recording for Epik High’s new album. Sunggyu’s own album has been progressing unbearably slowly, an uneasiness that he isn’t capable of an entirely self-composed album seeping deeper and deeper into his bones with each passing day. After all these years as a successful solo artist he still feels like he has something to prove; that he isn’t too old for this industry and that he can stand on his own without the people he has leaned on the most. Without Infinite. Without Jongwan. Sunggyu contemplates cornering Tablo and asking him to swing by the studio in the next week to have a listen to the guide track that Sunggyu laid down yesterday, finally accepting that maybe he needs just a little bit of help and a fresh perspective. At least that would make the hours he has wasted at this party either alone or distractedly engaging in boring small talk with people he barely knows worth something.

Sunggyu pulls himself off the couch, taking a last swig of the warm beer, before moving in the direction of bubbling noise from the party. When he steps into the large break room of the studio, he starts scanning for Tablo, hoping he can make his request quickly, say a congratulations and escape back to his own empty apartment. As Sunggyu searches, a hiccup of a laugh cuts through the undercurrent in the room and freezes Sunggyu to the spot, his fingertips tingling with anticipation or fear, he isn’t sure which. He hasn’t heard that sound this clearly in years, usually distorted by the tinny sound of his phone speakers as he watches old videos that he shouldn’t. Before his frontal lobe can kick into gear and stop him doing something he will surely regret, Sunggyu speaks out-loud, an embarrassingly longing and audible “Woohyun?” falling from his lips.

Sunggyu is equal parts relieved and shocked that after all this time he can still find Woohyun’s gaze almost instantly in a crowd, their eyes locking when Sunggyu turns to his left and Woohyun looks up in response to his name being called. Surprise and then an emotion Sunggyu can’t read flit across Woohyun’s face, who then turns to the people he was laughing with moments ago to excuse himself politely. Sunggyu’s fight or flight response kicks in and he turns around, feeling a little dizzy, and hurriedly makes his way back into the recording booth he had been hiding out in previously. He slumps down into the sofa after shutting the door, hand momentarily resting on the cool patch where his beer had been minutes ago, before he slumps and puts his head between his knees. He wasn’t aware that Woohyun would be here tonight, didn’t even know that he was back in the country. With each inhale of breath, a new memory flashes through Sunggyu’s mind like a movie of when they were young. Worn down mattresses pressed together in their first dorm. Mischievous smiles shared on stage. Hot breath brushing against his neck in the dewy light of early morning.

A quiet knock on the studio door snaps Sunggyu out of his spiral and he looks up in time to see the handle turn and Woohyun’s face appear in the gap. “Hyung… Uh, Sunggyu… Hi.” Woohyun softly speaks, voice stumbling on the once familiar ‘Hyung’ with a hesitation that Sunggyu detests. Woohyun steps into the room standing awkwardly in the empty space, looking like he doesn’t know what to do with his limbs, opting for opening and closing his fists slowly. The familiar nervous tic grounds Sunggyu, reminds him that he isn’t the only one in the room that hasn’t spoken to his ex-co-worker, ex-best friend, ex-lover, in almost 2 years. He doesn’t respond quickly enough though, finds himself staring dumbly at Woohyun’s (still unbearably gorgeous) face when Woohyun launches into speaking at a rate and volume that does not fit their situation.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here!! I saw Dongwoo hyung this morning after I landed in Seoul, we went out for coffee… that place around the corner from his apartment that he can never get enough of! The owner knows his order by this point… but… uh… you would know that… he said you hadn’t been getting out much lately… something about you locking yourself in a studio? I heard you’re working on a new album, that’s great, Sunggyu!” Woohyun stutters as he finally runs out of breath, eyes dropping to the floor with a lifeless chuckle falling from his lips.

Sunggyu is endeared by both the fact that Woohyun still speaks too much when he’s nervous and by the possibility that Woohyun had _asked after him_. Sunggyu is still staring and he thinks that Woohyun looks the same, untouched by the years. His shiny un-styled hair falling into his eyes and a lopsided smile blooming on his face as he talked to reveal deep laughter lines. However, the longer Sunggyu looks at the man in front him, he starts to notice some smaller details: the curve of his shoulders screams deep-seeded exhaustion and the tight intertwined grip of Woohyun’s fingers gives away the shorter man’s uncertainty.

Sunggyu suddenly realises that he’s supposed to speak, glancing at Woohyun who is now looking at him expectantly, bouncing slightly from one foot to the other. “Oh… ah yeah… you know…” he mumbles, mentally kicking himself for momentarily losing all command of the Korean language. “The album is… going well… I was actually looking for Tablo just now… to uh… talk to him about this guide. Have you seen him?” Sunggyu blurts out, pretending he doesn’t see the hurt simmering in Woohyun’s eyes, no doubt taking Sunggyu’s lapse in conversational ability as a dismissal.

“Oh…” Woohyun says ever so softly, eyes drifting away just to the left of eye contact, “he stepped out for more beer about five minutes ago I think”. Sunggyu feels like an idiot; he has wanted to speak to Woohyun for an unbearably long time and yet here he is, every fibre in his body telling him “_run!”._

“Well… I uh… I needed to get home” Sunggyu mumbles, hands patting down his jeans to check for wallet and phone. “So… ah… could you ask him to swing by my studio tomorrow at 2pm if you see him? It was good to see you, Hyun. Um… bye.” Sunggyu stuttered, fondness rounding out the old nickname he hasn’t spoken aloud for long enough that it shouldn’t be habit anymore. Sunggyu is making a lot of mistakes tonight.

Before Woohyun can respond Sunggyu gives the other man a smile he knows looks fake as hell and shuffles awkwardly passed Woohyun to get to the door, inhaling Woohyun’s warm cologne that almost makes Sunggyu pause. Instead he puts a shaky hand on the door frame to steady himself fleetingly before walking away just as quickly as his heart is pounding in his chest. “_What the fuck are you doing, Kim Sunggyu?!_” he admonishes himself on loop in his head. It isn’t until he’s out of the studio, down the elevator and barging through the entrance doors into the cold night air that he feels like he can breathe, breaths coming hard and fast. That was not how he had imagined meeting Woohyun again, playing out hundreds of scenarios in his head each sleepless night, each one devoid of him being a complete bumbling idiot. Sunggyu lets out a deep sigh and glances around for a place to rest privately. He turns down the alley beside the building, leans against the wall and lights a cigarette with shaky hands. The nicotine hits his lungs and reduces his nerves to a simmer, low enough that he has the energy to dig his phone out of his pocket and dial.

“Hey” Dongwoo lazily answers, not yet aware of the danger he is in.

“WHY THE FUCK WOULDN’T YOU TELL ME THAT WOOHYUN IS BACK IN SEOUL, WHAT THE FUCK, WOO?!” Sunggyu shouts into the phone, so flustered that he’s forgetting that you _do not_ _yell at Dongwoo_.

“Oh my god…” Dongwoo laughs, “it’s barely been eight hours since he landed… this is hilarious”. Sunggyu strongly disagrees, but there is nothing on earth more curative than Dongwoo’s laughter, so he doesn’t tell the younger man how _not_ funny the situation is. “You never leave your studio or apartment…” Dongwoo rightly states, voice much calmer, “… what happened?”

“He was at the Epik High thing, I said two words that were passable Korean at best and ran out as fast as I could… I didn’t even ask how he’s been or why he is back in Seoul.” Sunggyu grumbles, feeling increasingly embarrassed about his behaviour.

“You should call him, Hyung.” Dongwoo says gently after a few moments pause.

“Maybe… when the album is finished”.

Dongwoo sighs, knowing a brush off when he hears one.

“I’ll talk to you later, Woo.” Sunggyu ends the call, stubs out his burned down cigarette and makes his way home.


	2. Chapter 2

Sunggyu opens his front door and is greeted by the dark silence of an empty apartment. He tries not to think about the times the sound and warmth of the honey voice ringing in his ears welcomed him home instead. An unconscious sigh slips out as he toes off his shoes and peels off his coat, bending down to line his sneakers up neatly before stepping into his house slippers. The faint glow of Seoul at night is the only illumination in the apartment as Sunggyu slowly moves into the living space towards the well-loved yellow swing. When Sunggyu steps into the swinging chair, he curls up on his side, pressing his face into the worn fabric and hugging one of the pillows tightly to his chest. It is only now, in the safety of his favourite place and with a 20-minute cab drive worth of distance between himself and Woohyun, that he lets his mind drift into a replay of the evening.

Heat starts to blossom on the tips of Sunggyu’s cheekbones and he feels it slowly creep across his face and down to his neck as he recalls what an _utter fool_ he had been. Any idol that has been in the industry for as long as Sunggyu can recall countless moments of embarrassment, but in this moment Sunggyu has never felt the sinking feeling so keenly. Not only was every word that came out of his mouth a stuttering mess, what he did convey was essentially a dismissal: both in his words and actions. He worries that Woohyun would have interpreted everything as Sunggyu having no desire to welcome Woohyun back into his life.

This, of course, could not be further from the truth. Sunggyu respects himself far too much to lie about how hopelessly in love with Woohyun he has remained all these years. It may have taken him longer at first to accept the enormity of his feelings for the younger bandmate, but once they had settled comfortably under his ribcage, Sunggyu knew that he would never detach the love from his body. However, even if it never left, the weight of losing Infinite had crushed Sunggyu so intensely that every other emotion he felt was dimmed so low it may as well not have been there. He could never blame Woohyun for being unable to feel that there was still love between them in the end. It took years for the numbness of Sunggyu’s intense pain to fade and by the time he found his footing again not only was his relationship over, but his friendship with the younger man seemed beyond repair as well. A frustrated groan breaks the silence of the room as Sunggyu curls his hands into fists. He has wanted to be standing in front of Woohyun for so long. His lungs are full to the brim with words of apology and love just yearning to be given life. And yet, instead of giving Woohyun even a _hint_ of how much he still wants him, he had brushed him off and run away as quickly as possible.

Sunggyu huffs and pushes himself off the swing, hand brushing through his un-styled hair. He is already sick of the one-man pity party he has been silently throwing and is far too old to be acting like a love-sick teenager. Sunggyu is standing in the middle of his living room when he pulls out his phone from his pocket, blinding himself with the light of the screen suddenly flooding the dark room. When Sunggyu’s eyes adjust, he sees that there is a single notification on the lockscreen: a text from Dongwoo that makes Sunggyu smile gently.

_“Hyung~~ Woohyunie’s number is still the same^^ [Dongwoo has shared a contact with you]” _

An idea rapidly forms in Sunggyu’s mind of calling Woohyun, inviting him into the studio and falling back into old patterns of friendly banter and careful criticism. The studio has felt empty for years without the younger man on the other side of the glass and he thinks that maybe the familiar environment will help to ease the sting of old wounds and make Sunggyu comfortable enough to talk, to heal, to repair their friendship. But Sunggyu is still stubborn and he cannot bring himself to be so desperate as to call Woohyun in the middle of the night, especially not after the display earlier. Instead he stumbles into the bedroom to fall into his unmade bed and slowly slips into a restless sleep; phone still gripped tightly in his hand with Woohyun’s contact page open.

-

Sunggyu roughly curls his fingers into his hair and pushes back his chair, needing to physically put distance between himself and the studio equipment. He has been sat in front of the computer for over three hours trying to sketch a simple melody, but his mind refuses to focus. Since the moment he woke up one person has occupied his mind: _Woohyun_. The previous night was full of self-pity, but today the curiosity has been eating away at Sunggyu. “Why is he in Seoul?” “How long is he staying?” “Where is he staying?” “Does he even want to talk to Sunggyu?” “Is he single?” “Does he know Sunggyu is still single?”. It’s maddening because this is not the sort of emotional turmoil that can be translated onto a sheet of music and Sunggyu feels like he is getting ahead of himself. It’s dangerous to start imagining where this could lead when he has too little information and too little courage to ask.

The sound of a KakaoTalk message snaps Sunggyu out of his thoughts, providing a welcome relief. However, when he opens the message from Tablo disappointment turns the corners of Sunggyu’s mouth down. Tablo is too busy to stop by the studio that week, but because it’s Tablo and he is the nicest man on earth, he asks Sunggyu to send him the guide via email anyway and he will do his best to give it a listen. Sunggyu sighs, dragging his chair back to the desk reluctantly and pettily quitting every program except the web browser. Once the guide has been emailed, he figures this as good an excuse as any to take a break. He will wait for Tablo’s comments before starting again, hopefully after being pointed in the right direction. Sunggyu’s stomach growls and he looks down at his phone, shocked to see that it is already 4:00pm. He scoffs at how quickly time flies when you’re being unproductive despite every minute feeling like torture. He starts going through the motions of turning off all the studio equipment and finally the lights as he steps out of the room. He feels a fraction of the weight on his shoulders lift, knowing that next time he walks into Woollim’s studio it should be with guidance and renewed energy.

Sunggyu decides he will go sit in his favourite coffee shop for a while, the fastest route to food and a chance to unwind before heading home. He covers his face with a mask and pushes his hair into a beanie as he steps out of the studio doors. The winter air instantly starts seeping into his coat, so Sunggyu curls his fingers up into his sleeve and sets off on the short two block walk to the café. When he has finished ordering his fourth coffee of the day (don’t tell his Mum) he settles into a seat in the corner which has the best view of both the street and café space. It is only moments later when he sees a man walk into the café in his periphery vision and something oddly familiar about his gait pulls in Sunggyu’s attention. As the man walks to the counter and pushes off the hood that was obstructing his face Sunggyu gasps, because there is just no way_, _absolutely _no way_, he is running into Nam Woohyun again.

Woohyun is looking up at the menu posted on the wall above the barista, a pout forming on his lips as he thinks. Even with the soft backing music playing on the speakers, Sunggyu swears he can hear the smack of his lips and click of his tongue just before he starts to order. It endears Sunggyu that some habits never leave a person.

From this angle Sunggyu has a perfect view of Woohyun’s side profile and he is struck again, maybe even a little breathless, at how handsome the other man is. Woohyun is ageing so gracefully, every laughter line reminding Sunggyu of the sound of Woohyun’s voice in a smile. Sunggyu has become so lost in admiration that he somehow missed that Woohyun has noticed him, is actually at this very moment looking directly at Sunggyu with his head tilted, a smug smirk on his face. So once again, Sunggyu is caught with blush blooming on his cheeks and his eyes quickly darting away.

Sunggyu’s heart picks up when he realises that Woohyun is walking in his direction and he barely has time to take a deep breath before Woohyun’s hand is resting gently on the chair across the table.

“Can I sit with you?” Woohyun speaks hesitantly, which contrasts with the confident expression he was wearing moments ago when he caught Sunggyu staring.

“Of course.” Sunggyu replies, looking up in time to catch relief flash across Woohyun’s face.

Woohyun speaks first, which Sunggyu is grateful for, he isn’t sure what to say in this situation other than speaking without pause “_I’m sorry for being an idiot and by the way I still love you_”.

“You still come to this café?” Woohyun inquires.

“The coffee here is still unrivalled…. but do not under any circumstances tell the new NIT barista; I think I bruised her ego last month” Sunggyu responds lightly, trying to keep the conversation friendly.

Woohyun laughs (thank _god_) and agrees “I have missed their coffee, the cold brew in Japan just isn’t the same”.

“I missed you”.

Sunggyu freezes. For a fraction of a second, he manages to convince himself that he did not just say that aloud. But then Woohyun’s eyes widen and his mouth starts to open as if he doesn’t know how to respond and Sunggyu is sure that his mind to mouth filter is well and truly broken. Stupid timing really when there are so many things that still need filtering.

“I…. uh…. I mean….” Sunggyu stutters in defence quietly before being literally saved by the bell. Woohyun’s coffee is ready and the barista is calling for him, hitting the small bell numerous times, clearly eager to get back to reading her book behind the counter.

Woohyun glances at Sunggyu with an unreadable expression, before standing up to collect the coffee he’s missed so much. When his back is turned, Sunggyu lets out a shaky breath and drops his face into his hands. “_Stupid_” he thinks, marvelling that it was him that said something cheesy and not the romantic sitting across the table. The shock on Woohyun’s face is burned into Sunggyu’s retinas, but he doesn’t have the brain power right now to work out if that shock was of the pleased variety or not. Sunggyu has barely composed himself when Woohyun falls into the chair at the table, taking a long sip of the coffee. A smile pulls at Woohyun’s lips and it’s clear he wasn’t lying about missing the coffee.

Woohyun looks up and Sunggyu is too scared to open his mouth again. The silent pause between the two men growing more awkward by the second. Sunggyu starts to fidget in his seat, trying to come up with a way to take his words back, when Woohyun suddenly but calmly asks, friendly curiosity lining his words, “Is that good Tteokbokki place still around the corner too?”

Woohyun has always been uncannily skilled at reading exactly what people need and selfless enough to give it to them. Sunggyu is so grateful that Woohyun is giving him an out from his impulsive declaration.

“It changed owners and now they use flour-based rice cakes,” Woohyun grimaces before Sunggyu continues “… I have been trying to find a replacement for about a year and I’m this close to asking one of the managers to track down the old owners to get the recipe”.

“I would’ve hired a private investigator instantly” Woohyun states seriously “although I probably would’ve charmed the recipe out of Ajumma before she closed the store and saved us the trouble” he laughs.

“_Us_”. Sunggyu fixates on the word that fell from Woohyun’s lips. It took him a long time after their breakup to talk about himself in the singular again. “Yes, <strike>we</strike> I will be there”, “It is a gift from <strike>us</strike> me”. The rational part of his brain knows that Woohyun didn’t mean anything by the pronoun but Sunggyu has never been rational when it comes to Woohyun. A very small voice niggles in the back of Sunggyu’s mind though that maybe he isn’t the other half of Woohyun’s _us_ anymore, and this was simply a slip of the tongue born from habit and meant for someone else.

The conversation continues, light and full of banter, but Sunggyu is only partly present. He is too distracted by Woohyun’s mouth, the life glinting in his eyes, the curve of his eyebrows animated in speech. He’s fascinated by Woohyun, seeing him again and having his warmth radiate in Sunggyu’s orbit is exhilarating. When the conversation slows, reminiscing having reached its limit before treading into painful territory, both men find themselves sitting in silence, lost in their own thoughts while smiling softly at each other. The comfort of just _being_ with Woohyun reminds Sunggyu that long before Infinite, and everything else that came after, he and Woohyun were friends. Sunggyu misses that friendship desperately, maybe even more than the love and sex that came after.

“How long will you be in Seoul?” Sunggyu breaks the silence, finally asking the question he most wants answered.

“It depends… I have some… uh, unfinished business and I don’t know yet how that will turn out”.

Sunggyu misses the wavering sadness in Woohyun’s voice and instead takes the words at face value and thinks “_Woohyun will leave for good soon_”. His heart sinks.

“Oh ok” Sunggyu mumbles, following the movement of Woohyun’s hand as he reaches to tap his phone screen to pull up the time. The younger man seems shocked to see that two hours have disappeared and starts to clean his coffee and plate away.

“I uh, promised Mum I would drop by the restaurant tonight. I haven’t seen her since I got back and don’t fancy another angry phone call” Woohyun guilty explains while tidying Sunggyu’s mug as well. Woohyun eventually looks up and states confidently “I’m glad we could talk, Sunggyu”.

“_This brat, always forgetting his honorifics_” Sunggyu thinks, trying to avoid feeling disappointed that Woohyun must leave, even if he understands completely the life of a youngest and treasured son. Sunggyu stands as well, there is no reason to stay in the café longer if Woohyun isn’t there too.

Woohyun’s hands twitch at his side and he takes half a step forward before leaning back, clearly not sure how to say goodbye.

“Well, um, see you soon?” Sunggyu speaks softly, the rising tone of a question being unintentional.

“Yeah… yeah I would like that” Woohyun breathes and then surprises Sunggyu by leaning in for a hug. Sunggyu is shocked to have Woohyun and all his warmth pressing against his body. One of Woohyun’s hands settles into the small of Sunggyu’s back, the other resting across his shoulders. He is hit with the scent of the other man and instantly feels comforted, feels like he’s _home_. Just as Sunggyu’s brain catches up and he starts to relax into the hug Woohyun gives a light squeeze and pulls back, and as suddenly as it began, Woohyun is gone. Sunggyu’s palms tingle with the need to touch but he lets them hang loosely at his side instead.

Woohyun meets Sunggyu’s eyes and gives him a quiet smile before pulling on his coat as he turns to walk out the door. Although Sunggyu had every intention of leaving as well, he slumps back into the café chair, feeling a little dazed by the afternoon. Being with Woohyun has unstitched every feeling that Sunggyu had stuffed away and now the need to have Woohyun back in is life is overwhelmingly present. That feeling only intensifies when he glances at his phone that is beeping with an incoming message.

_ “I missed you too, Hyung~~~”_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of the thanks in the world to InfiniteObsession for her patience and kind encouragement. This update wouldn't have existed if it was not for her. <3

Three weeks pass with an ease of breath that Sunggyu hasn’t felt in years. There is all this space in his life that he has unknowingly returned to Woohyun. The two men text constantly, tease relentlessly, and because Sunggyu cannot restrain himself, flirt endlessly. Unluckily they have been too busy to see each other in person since their ( _ not quite a _ ) coffee date. Sunggyu would be okay with this if the twelve thousand thoughts spinning in his head at any given moment would be quiet. His latest frustration is trying to decide if Woohyun’s texts are intentionally suggestive or not. He always needed to see the glint of Woohyun’s eye to assess the seriousness of the younger man’s ridiculous comments. Sunggyu ends up convincing himself that all of this is harmless fun, nothing more. However, there is an ache deep in his chest when he thinks about Woohyun leaving Seoul again, despite there being no sign of this happening. Sunggyu wonders what motivated Woohyun to come home; he is curious about the partner he heard rumors of. He brings it up with Dongwoo a handful of times, the kinder man simply flashing a smile and muttering a convoluted proverb that Sunggyu takes to mean “ _ you are an idiot” _ . 

Sunggyu certainly feels like an idiot now, sitting on the floor of a dimly lit vocal practice room, back against the wall and knees pulled up to his chest. He is not exactly  _ hiding _ , but he also does not have the energy to be a good senior to the trainees down the hall that have a brightness to their expression that makes Sunggyu feel eighteen again. He should go home, but he was hoping Woohyun would call and ask to see him. As far as Sunggyu was aware Woohyun didn’t have any plans that evening. However, it is 12:37am and no matter how many times he picks up his phone, Sunggyu is simply greeted by a bright and empty lockscreen. He sighs, it has been  _ hours _ since he last heard from Woohyun, which is unusual given the running commentary of every waking moment they have shared lately. Maybe the tension he was reading into their exchanges had all been wishful thinking. Sunggyu opens KakaoTalk, a nervous feeling bubbling up in his stomach. He decides that instead of continuing to mope, he is going to stop repressing the urge he has had all evening and reach out to Woohyun. 

**Sunggyu | 12:43am **

_ Hyun-ah  _

_ One of the trainees was born in 2011 _

_ It’s time to retire -.-  _

**Woohyun | 12:59am **

_ Snggku ♡_♡ _

_ Sunggfu  _

_ Snncjvk _

_ FUCK  _

Sunggyu frowns at his phone, half confused, half ready to burst out laughing. Before he has time to type out a response an incoming call fills up his phone screen. He tries to ignore the way the butterflies in his stomach increase tenfold. If his hands are a little shaky because he is finally getting the attention he’s wanted all night, no one needs to know. 

He takes a deep breath, and with a teasing lilt to his voice, he picks up the phone: “Hyun-ah.... it’s ‘S, U, N, G, G, Y, U’.” 

“Hyung~” Woohyun practically whines into the phone, which is  _ not helping _ Sunggyu calm his heart rate. “Where are you, Hyung? Where did you go?”

Sunggyu is confused. “I’m at the company building… I’ve been here all night? What are you talking about, Woohyun?” 

There is silence for a few moments. Sunggyu can hear a muffled bass and excited talking in the background, which suggests maybe Woohyun is standing outside a bar. It’s cold tonight; Sunggyu starts to worry. Woohyun mumbles something down the phone line, which Sunggyu misses. 

“Hyun, I can’t hear you.” 

“Miss you,” Woohyun speaks marginally clearer. 

There is a slur rounding out Woohyun’s words, which confirms Sunggyu’s suspicions that this was a drunk dial. He wants to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, but a thread of worry pulls in his heart instead. He thinks he can hear Woohyun sniffling, but it’s distant, like the drunk man has forgotten to hold the phone properly. Woohyun is usually a bright drunk, lighting up whichever room he enters. But he is also prone to mood swings and occasionally that brightness is replaced with tears that cannot be controlled once they start. 

“Woohyun? Hyun? Can you hear me?” Sunggyu worriedly asks. 

The reply is slow, but Woohyun eventually slurs out an “‘I’m here”. 

“Okay, good.” Sunggyu breathes deeply, “Where are you? Who are you with?” 

“Taeyang…” and then something that Sunggyu cannot make out. 

“I’ll come and get you, okay? Woohyun...? Just stay where you are and I’ll be there soon. I have my car today.” Sunggyu has never been so grateful for his lazy manager asking him to drive himself into the studio this morning. 

Woohyun mumbles out “Okay, Hyungie” and then proceeds to drop his phone if the loud crash and dial tone are anything to go by. Sunggyu shoots off a text to Taeyang asking what bar they are at and pulls himself off the practice room floor. He runs shaky hands through his hair and hurries out of the building, the feeling of worry propelling him forward faster than he would usually move. Thankfully by the time he is seated behind the wheel of his car, Taeyang has sent him their location via text. Synggyu plugs the location of the bar into his GPS and dreads the 25 minute drive that he has ahead of him. Too much time to think. Too much time to worry. 

\- 

When Sunggyu pulls up onto the sidewalk near the bar, he’s nervous. He grabs a facemask, even though it has been years since anyone cared what he does, and climbs out of the car. It has been a long time since he had to comfort a crying Woohyun, and he isn’t exactly sure where their boundaries lie. In the past, before everything went wrong, he would simply press a soft kiss into the other’s hairline and whisper that he would be there no matter what. Somehow, he doesn’t think that method is on the table anymore. Especially now that that promise had turned into a lie. 

Sunggyu walks into the bar, which isn’t very large. The walls show off the exposed brick of the building and are littered with neon signs. There are a few comfortable looking booths lining the window and it is there that Sunggyu spots Woohyun and Taeyang. As he moves closer, he hears Woohyun’s laugh ring out; loud, clear and bright. Wooyun is facing away from the door, so it is Taeyang that spots Sunggyu first, a flash of relief in his eyes as Sunggyu approaches. The table is scattered with empty soju and beer bottles and if the earlier phone call is any indication, most of the damage probably due to Woohyun. 

“Sunggyu-hyung, hey!” Taeyang speaks as he waves the older man over. 

Woohyun’s head whips around so fast he probably cricked his neck in the process. His whole face is changed by the smile that blooms and shines in his eyes. Sunggyu almost falters in his step, he had prepared for tears, not the blinding affection that was radiating from the other in that moment. He is confused to say the least. 

Sunggyu slides into the booth next to Woohyun, who had dramatically shifted over while patting the leather seat. He barely has a chance to pull off his mask before Taeyang is speaking. 

“Sorry, Sunggyu-hyung, my wife needed me home over an hour ago, the kids have the flu. I heard all the updates from Namu tonight, but it is good to see you myself. Good luck with the album!!” And as quickly as he spoke he was gone. 

Just like that Sunggyu has found himself exactly where he wanted an hour ago: alone with Woohyun. A giggle that turns into a hiccup pulls Sunggyu’s attention back to the man sitting next to him. Woohyun’s cheekbones are dusted with a pink flush brought on by alcohol and his eyes are glassy. It is clear that he has gone well and truly beyond his limit, so maybe the night is not exactly everything that Sunggyu was hoping for. A twinge of disappointment settles in Sunggyu’s stomach. He opens his mouth to speak, but Woohyun is faster and is unexpectedly wrapping his arms around Sunggyu. Woohyun holds on tightly, almost too tight, and buries his face against Sunggyu’s neck, hot breath hitting his skin and making a shiver run down Sunggyu’s spine. Woohyun smells warm and Sunggyu is surprised that the comforting scent cuts through the smell of booze and cigarettes in the bar. 

“I wanted you to be here” Woohyun murmurs against Sunggyu’s skin. He can feel the plush lips brushing against his neck as the words are formed and it shocks Sunggyu that just this small touch is already making him feel insane. 

“I’m here now”, he whispers into Woohyun’s hairline. He chuckles to himself, thinking about how he ended up holding the younger man in almost exactly the way he anticipated wouldn’t be on the table tonight. One of Woohyun’s hands dips down to press hard against Sunggyu’s waist at the same time Woohyun moves his head slightly to brush his nose along the top of Sunggyu’s collarbone as he breathes in deeply. Sunggyu’s heart is pounding in his chest and ringing in his ears. The weight of Woohyun is heavy in so many ways, and it takes everything within Sunggyu to lean back and push Woohyun gently away. 

“Let’s get you home, Hyunie.” 

“Don’t wanna,” is spoken through a petulant pout, “you haven’t even had a drink!” Woohyun turns to scan the table but all he finds are empty bottles. The pout gets bigger and Sunggyu wants to lean in and kiss it away so badly that his lips twitch slightly and he curls his hands into fists. 

Instead, Sunggyu relaxes himself and holds out a hand that is warmly received. He pulls Woohyun to his feet, who immediately leans his weight into Sunggyu’s side. Sunggyu reaches around to put a steading arm around the shorter man’s waist, gripping protectively. He is looking forward to teasing Woohyun about the shocker of a hangover he is going to have in the morning. 

They make it to Sunggyu’s car without incident. Woohyun seems to have tired himself out, the mood dropping considerably. Once Sunggyu is sure that Woohyun is settled in the passenger seat, he closes the door and slowly walks around the front of the car. He pauses with his hand on the car door handle, taking deep and even breaths. Being close to Woohyun again after their three weeks of renewed friendship has made the longing shaper, more present. He isn’t sure he will make it out of this night intact. When he finally slides into the driver’s seat it occurs to him that he has no idea where ‘home’ is for Woohyun these days. 

“Hyun-ah, where should I take you?” 

Woohyun fumbles for his phone and pulls up an address for an apartment complex not that far from Sunggyu’s neighbourhood. Sunggyu frowns, because he didn’t think they had any friends in that building so he is not sure why Woohyun would be staying there, but he pulls the car onto the road nonetheless. There are a lot of things he does not know about Woohyun’s life. Not anymore. 

Woohyun spends a good part of the drive with his head pressed against the window and his eyes closed. Sunggyu has spent enough time lying in bed listening to the rise and fall of Woohyun’s chest that he knows the younger is not actually asleep. When he risks a quick glance he notices the tight grip of Woohyun’s hands on his phone. This makes him uneasy. Nothing about Woohyun has been simple and easy to read tonight, so Sunggyu keeps his mouth shut and drives them carefully. 

When the clock on the GPS says there is only five minutes left until they reach the apartment, Woohyun sits up slowly and turns to Sunggyu. Sunggyu spares him a glance out of his periphery but can feel the weight of Woohyun’s stare on him anyway. 

“Why did you leave?” 

Once again, Sunggyu is  _ so _ confused. 

“I came to pick you up, Woohyun.”

“No. Not tonight. All those years ago,” Woohyun pauses. Pauses for so long Sunggyu thinks he isn’t going to speak again and he really, desperately needs Woohyun to speak again because he is not ready to form words and take part in this conversation yet. 

“After Infinite, I thought it would be okay. I still had you after all… but... you left. You went somewhere... somewhere I could not follow.” Woohyun’s words barely reach Sunggyu’s ears. He is whispering so quietly, but he may as well be yelling the way they echo in Sunggyu’s mind. 

“I... uh…“ Sunggyu stutters, trying to find his footing. 

“I tried to forget you, you know? Start someplace new. I almost managed it in the end. For a short time I was happy, or at least I thought I was. I met someone new, things got serious quickly. She was wonderful, but no matter how much I tried to convince myself that she was all I needed, I just… I missed  _ you _ .”

Woohyun sounds  _ miserable _ and Sunggyu feels like his chest is caving in with the guilt pressing so harshly on his ribcage. 

“Hyu.. hyung?” Woohyun’s voice cracks and Sunggyu is sure that if he had the courage to turn he would see tears swimming in Woohyun’s lashes. 

“We are here,” Sunggyu speaks, colder than intended as he pulls into the parking lot. 

Woohyun lets out a surprised hiccup, but moves quickly to get out of the car the second it stops. Sunggyu cannot blame him and kicks himself for being a dickhead.  _ Again _ . He slumps over and puts his forehead against the steering wheel. His head is reeling, because even if he has been talking to Woohyun non-stop for the last three weeks, they have not really  _ talked _ . Sunggyu had hoped, oh how he had hoped, that there was a chance that Woohyun still wanted him. But the reality of Woohyun’s pain that has just been shared is too much to process. Sunggyu used to be better at being honest. Every thought used to be shared between the leader and his second in command, long before they were partners. Maybe he never really learned how to handle his life without the leader title being his safety net. He’s disappointed that even after all this time thinking about how he would heal his relationship with Woohyun, he still fails spectacularly in the heat of the moment. 

Sunggyu glances towards the entrance of the building and he can see Woohyun stumbling towards the apartment lobby. He sighs deeply, and steps out of the car to go help. No matter how uncomfortable it might become, Woohyun is far too intoxicated to make it into the apartment alone. When Sunggyu reaches the drunk man, he sees tears quitely streaming down his gorgeous face. It becomes a little bit harder for Sunggyu to breathe, but he moves in and pulls Woohyun against him to help him walk. Woohyun seems to have run out of words as well, so the two men wait quietly for the elevator, the only sound being Woohyun’s quiet sniffles and the pounding of Sunggyu’s heart. 

Once they are in the elevator, Woohyun crowds into Sunggyu’s space. He’s standing in front of Sunggyu with his hands fisted tightly in Sunggyu’s shirt. Sunggyu conjures up a moment of determination and meets Woohyun’s eyes. Woohyun is no longer crying, and there is clarity in his expression that has been clouded by alcohol the rest of the night. Sunggyu is going to get whiplash from Woohyun’s mood swings. 

Woohyun tilts his head and presses his hot, hot, hot lips onto the side of Sunggyu’s jaw. Sunggyu sucks in a breath and almost loses the feeling in his legs as Woohyun draws his lips and tongue along his jaw and down his neck in a sinful open mouthed kiss. Woohyun’s hands have migrated underneath Sunggyu’s shirt and burning palms are roughly exploring anywhere they can reach.

“I need you to want me” Woohyun whines as his teeth nip at Sunggyu’s flesh, drawing a soft moan from the sober man. 

Sunggyu is so close to pulling Woohyun flush against him and kissing him senseless. It is embarrassing how quickly Woohyun’s attention is turning him on. However, he knows that no matter how much Woohyun may want him at this moment, there is absolutely no way that Sunggyu can let his instincts take over before they have a conversation: a sober one. The elevator dings and gives Sunggyu the excuse he needed to gently pry Woohyun off and maneuver them to the apartment number Sunggyu hopes he has remembered correctly. 

When Woohyun unlocks the apartment door, he almost falls over trying to take off his shoes. Sunggyu softly laughs, endeared by the display of clumsiness. Woohyun starts to stumble down the hall, Sunggyu following closely and reaching out occasionally with a stabilizing hand on Woohyun’s waist. They steer towards the bedroom and luckily for Sunggyu, Woohyun is clearly too tired or upset to continue his seduction, instead falling onto the bed roughly and not moving from where he has landed face down. Sunggyu moves closer and mummers a gentle request for Woohyun to remove his denim jacket. He is surprised that the younger boy is cooperative, sluggishly moving to help Sunggyu slip the jacket from his shoulders. The comfort of home seems to have exhausted Woohyun, his breathing slowly evening out suggesting he is moments away from sleep. Sunggyu hesitates, he knows how uncomfortable it is to sleep in jeans, but he worries about turning Woohyun over and giving the other any suggestion that they should pick up where they left off in the elevator. 

Instead, he softly sits down on the edge of the bed and gently threads his hand into Woohyun’s hair. It’s a gesture born from comfort that somehow became a habit many years ago. Woohyun let’s out a soft whimper at the touch, curling in on himself slightly. His arms move to hug the pillow resting under his head, as he turns his face to look up at Sunggyu with heavy-lidded eyes. 

“Don’t leave me again” Woohyun quietly begs. 

Sunggyu is speechless and frozen to the spot. He is not sure Woohyun will remember much of their conversations tonight and his chest aches too much to pull words out of it. He gently increases the pressure of his fingers on Woohyun’s scalp, massaging into Woohyun’s hair until the rise and fall of his chest and relaxation of his features indicates sleep. It is only then that Sunggyu leans in closely, presses a soft kiss to Woohyun’s temple and whispers, “I know it’s stupid to say this now, but I really am sorry for everything I put you through.” 

Sunggyu pulls his hands from Woohyun’s hair and lets his face fall into them instead. He eventually hauls himself up, all of his limbs feeling heavy with a weight he is sure won’t be leaving any time soon. When he turns around his eyes widen, two sets of shining eyes are looking at him hesitantly from the doorway: Woohyun’s cats. He spins around the room and notices boxes in various states of unpacking. This is not a friend’s apartment like he had assumed, it was  _ Woohyun’s apartment. _ It is only then that this mind catches up with what has been right in front of his face this entire time. 

_ Woohyun isn’t leaving.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally managed an update! I hope that it was worth the wait? 
> 
> If you are still here with me on this long, long journey let me know in the comments! I always love to hear from you ;~; 
> 
> The next chapter is partly written so I will do my VERY BEST to update sooner than 2 months;; There may even be a rating increase coming... ^^


	4. Chapter 4

Sunggyu finds himself in the last place he wants to be and yet the only place he occupies lately. Alone, slumped in front of the studio desk, blankly staring at his screen. A frustrated groan echoes through the studio and a small voice in the back of his mind whispers “ _ You’re never going to write this album _ ”. He hasn’t heard back from Tablo, but getting a fresh perspective is for once the furthest thing from his mind. His silent brooding is entirely occupied by the man Sunggyu suspects is currently sleeping off a killer of a hangover. Woohyun’s words from the previous night are demandingly bouncing off the walls of Sunggyu’s skull. 

_ “Why did you leave?”  _

_ “I need you to want me.”  _

_ “Don’t leave me again.”  _

Sunggyu knows exactly why this has him paralysed, he just isn’t sure how to snap out of it and take the next step. He has spent so much time over the years thinking about what he’d lost, that he’s never taken the time to contemplate what he would do if he got it back. The flirting over the last few weeks seemed low stakes, because Sunggyu was convinced Woohyun wouldn’t stay; wouldn’t want him. Now it feels like Sunggyu is about to get everything he ever wanted and he is  _ terrified _ . He knows that he should pick up his phone and give Woohyun a call, but instead, he swipes up his lockscreen and sends a short text to Dongwoo, begging for coffee and company. Sunggyu convinces himself that Woohyun needs the rest anyway.

\- 

Twenty minutes later Sunggyu hears the creak of the studio door and a smile pulls on his lips. 

“Thank god, I think my brain would melt out of my ears if I had to wait for my coffee one more minu-” Sunggyu teases, the last syllable of his sentence catching in his throat as he spins in his chair and sees someone that is definitely  _ not _ Dongwoo standing in the doorway. 

“Hyun…?” he stumbles out in shock. 

Woohyun is wringing his fingers together and looks smaller than usual. His frame is dwarfed by an oversized, fluffy purple cardigan, which come to think of it Sunggyu recognises as one of his own that he thought he lost years ago. His heartbeat picks up as his mind starts speeding through scenarios: of Woohyun stealing it on purpose to keep a small part of Sunggyu with him; of Woohyun choosing that particular cardigan this morning to wrap himself in Sunggyu in any way that he can; of Sunggyu still meaning comfort to Woohyun. 

It sure looks like Woohyun could use some comfort right now. His shoulders are slumped and all of his body language is screaming non-confrontational. Sunggyu wants to stand and cross the space between them and pull the smaller man into his embrace. Instead, he sits still and dumbly stares at Woohyun with his heartbeat flooding his ears. 

Woohyun shuffles his weight from one foot to the other as he shyly looks up at Sunggyu. Their eyes meet ever so briefly before Woohyun darts his focus past Sunggyu to the studio computer currently displaying mixing software. Woohyun looks curious and Sunggyu takes the opportunity to lead them into a safer topic of conversation than their seemingly requited feelings. Woohyun always used to talk too much when he was drinking and Sunggyu is not yet sure if the secrets that tumbled from the younger boy’s lips last night were meant for his ears. 

“Do you want to hear it?” Sunggyu speaks, flinching when his voice sounds just shy of too loud in a room where the only sound is the low hum of the equipment and Woohyun’s shoes shuffling on the carpet. 

“Yeah” Woohyun breathes out with a small sigh of relief. Woohyun settles down into the worn black sofa that is pushed against the opposite wall of the small studio. It’s only an arm’s length away from where Sunggyu is seated but he is still disappointed by distance nonetheless. Sunggyu hears a thud followed by a grunt and he turns quickly to see Woohyun rubbing the back of his head while a pretty blush blooms on the apples of his cheeks. Woohyun has undoubtedly smacked his head against the wooden soundproofing behind the sofa. The two boys make eye contact and start to laugh at the all too familiar situation. “Welcome back to the Woollim recording studio” Sunggyu quips as he turns back to the recording desk. “It’s like I never left” comes the quiet and wistful reply. 

When Sunggyu presses play he feels a spark of anxiety in his chest that rapidly pushes any amusement he felt from his body. He knows the song is inadequate, but it’s only Woohyun here to listen he tells himself: the always encouraging, ever supportive, fiercely protective Woohyun. A sweet melody fills the studio and Sunggyu feels the force of Woohyun’s presence on his back as they listen to the progression of the song. When the song moves into the first bridge, Sunggyu spins the chair around so that he can see Woohyun in his peripheral vision. Woohyun has his chin tilted up slightly and his lips pulled together. He is concentrating solely on the song, the fingers of his right hand tapping against his thigh as he becomes familiar with the beat. Sunggyu thinks, not for the first or even the millionth time, that Woohyun is incredibly handsome when he is focused. 

The chorus plays and Sunggyu feels all the air in his lungs leave his body when his recorded voice sings: “ _ I don’t want to be apart; Come a little bit closer; I want you a little bit closer; Don’t move; And just stay with me like this _ ”. Sunggyu cannot bring himself to look at Woohyun again for the next three minutes. His palms have become clammy and he is shocked by how exposed he feels in this moment. He wonders briefly if this is how Woohyun would have felt upon waking up that morning. He wonders if Woohyun even remembers the drunken confession. When the last notes fade away, Sunggyu leans forward to make sure the song does not loop, feeling too raw to hear his own words again. He rearranges himself on the chair, placing his hands under his thighs to sit on them. He doesn’t notice that his posture is tense and his eyes are on the floor as he hesitantly speaks. “So… the working title is  _ ‘closer’ _ ” he whispers and trips over the English title. There is no response and Sunggyu starts to regret playing  _ this _ song, starts to worry that he was being cocky earlier in thinking that he was about to get everything he’s dreamed of since the breakup. 

Sunggyu starts when he feels the light pressure of Woohyun’s hand on his knee. He jerks his head up, almost pulling a muscle in his neck. His eyes meet Woohyun’s and he sees poorly masked yearning that he’s sure is only been returned with fear from his own eyes. Woohyun presses his fingers into Sunggyu’s thigh and applies enough force to spin the chair so that they face each other directly. “Come a little bit closer” Woohyun mumbles, echoing back the lyrics as his lips pull into the familiar flirtatious smirk that Sunggyu fell in love with all those years ago. Sunggyu shuffles forward using his feet to move the chair in closer. Woohyun simultaneously rises ever so slightly from the couch so that he can cradle Sunggyu’s face with his warm hands. Before Sunggyu even has a moment to process Woohyun’s touch, soft lips are gently pressed against his own. Sunggyu’s hands twitch, longing to  _ touch _ , however he’s still sitting on them and Woohyun has withdrawn his own touch before Sunggyu’s motor skills have caught up. 

Woohyun’s palms move to rest intimately high on Sunggyu’s thighs. Woohyun gently rubs his hands up and down with a hesitant smile on his face, waiting for Sunggyu’s brain to undoubtedly catch up and respond. Sunggyu stares blankly for a moment; heat rising on his face and burning through the denim under Woohyun’s touch. There is a ringing in his ears as blood is propelled by his rapidly beating heart. Sunggyu feels the anticipation bubbling in his chest, so similar to the anxiety he felt pressing play on the song, but worlds apart at the same time. 

The tension snaps. He surges forward, threading his hands into Woohyun’s unstyled black hair and pressing their lips together forcefully. The sudden movement prevents Woohyun from bracing for Sunggyu’s weight and he falls backwards smacking his head painfully into the wooden wall again. Woohyun looks shocked and there is an apology on the tip of Sunggyu’s tongue. Instead, the two men dissolve into uncontrollable giggles, tangled up in each other and falling half off the sofa. As they attempt to kiss through the giggles, the timber of Woohyun’s laugh unlocks a joy in Sunggyu that he thought was gone forever. They begin to kiss more insistently, the laughter fading away just enough for Sunggyu to enjoy the slide of Woohyun’s plump bottom lip between his own. Sunggyu is in the process of pulling them up onto the couch so that he can straddle Woohyun and deepen the kiss when a tiny part of his consciousness, right at the very back of his mind, notices the click of the studio door opening. 

“Just how many times in my life will I have to walk in on you two?” comes the amused voice of Dongwoo from the doorway. Sunggyu pulls away from Woohyun, having the decency to look sheepish when he turns around. “Oh but you’ve always loved a show, Dongwoo-yah” Woogyun flirtatiously quips back sliding his hands over Sunggyu’s ass. Sunggyu lets out a scandalised gasp and slaps Woohyun hard on the shoulder, the sound drowned out by the loud laughter of Woohyun and Dongwoo mixing together. 

Sunggyu lifts his head from the crook of Woohyun’s neck where he had tried to hide his embarrassment and reluctantly moves himself off of Woohyun’s lap to sit a respectful distance apart. Dongwoo turns to him and speaks. “Seriously though Hyung, the trainees are in the building...” he trails off at the end, unfamiliar with the dynamic shift of him being the one to scold, even though Sunggyu has not been his leader for years. “We... were just on our way out?” Sunggyu hesitantly responds, turning to Woohyun with a hopeful gaze. He feels Woohyun’s strong, warm hand wrap around his own with a reassuring squeeze. “Bye, Woo!” Woohyun cheerfully laughs as he pulls Sunggyu from the couch and rushes out of the door, leaving a stunned Dongwoo standing there with two coffees in his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so..... it's been a million years. thank you to anyone that is here after waiting all this time <3 I will do my best to have the final (really final FINAL) chapter up soon.


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